All week, we are counting down the 2017 Detroit Free Press / Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 Best New Restaurants as selected by Free Press critic Mark Kurlyandchik. We'll reveal two new restaurants each day before announcing the 2017 Restaurant of the Year on Friday. Find all our coverage at freep.com/roy.

This cozy Corktown noodle bar snuck onto the scene in the few quiet days before New Year, opening just in time to make this list.

Despite Ima’s (pronounced “ee-ma”) best efforts to fly under the radar, word got out quickly about Chef Mike Ransom’s flavorful bowls of udon and those delightful Asian-by-way-of-Peru tacos with jicama shells. (Yes, they're gluten-free, but don't hold that against them.)

Still in its infancy, Ransom’s concept is a perfect fit for the old Rubbed building on Michigan Avenue, its 1,000 square feet shared between the small kitchen and dining room. The minimal separation between the two adds to the conviviality of the experience – front and back of the house both listen to the same electronic music blaring from the speakers.

Grab a seat at one of the two communal tables or at the high-top bars that circle the perimeter. Either way, you'll be slurping udon elbow-to-elbow with your comrades -- the way noodles are meant to be enjoyed.

It's the broths, though, that set Ima apart. Ransom was raised vegetarian and grew up on Japanese ingredients, which explains how he can tease such rich, complex flavors out of ingredients like mushrooms and toasted rosemary to create one of the most flavorful vegan dishes I’ve ever had, the forest udon.

Alternately, spicy pork udon gets its name from the lean, smoky slice of tenderloin that anchors the bowl. The broth is poultry-based and cleaner and lighter than one made from pork. (It can also become pork-free with little trouble.)

As the freshest addition to the Best New Restaurant list, the restaurant is really just getting started. A liquor license is still in the works as well as an outdoor patio that will nearly double capacity this summer. Lunch service is on its way, too.

It's been a strong start for Ransom and his crew. But when Ima really finds its legs, it just might become the runaway hit of the pack.

The new Ima noodle restaurant in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood seats just 30 diners, the majority of which slurp noodles elbow-to-elbow at two long communal tables. Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press